Gutters have been conventionally installed on buildings having pitched roofs, especially residential type buildings, to prevent precipitation which flows off the roof from damaging the walls and foundation of the building and landscaped areas around the building. However, gutters present problems during the autumn and winter, especially in areas with deciduous trees and colder areas having considerable snowfall. In the autumn, leaves and twigs from deciduous trees fall onto the roofs of buildings and are carried into the gutters, where they block the gutters and downspouts. In cold climates where there is substantial snow followed by changing temperatures, snow accumulates on a roof, melts and refreezes. This causes a buildup of what is commonly called an ice dam in the gutter. The ice extends from the gutter over the roof which is usually covered with shingles. Heat escaping from inside the building melts the underside of the ice and water is forced under the shingles and into the building, where it can do considerable damage to the interior of the building, particularly the ceilings and walls.
Numerous attempts have been made over the years to solve these problems. One series of attempts has involved the installation of perforated or solid coverings for the gutters to prevent the accumulation of snow, leaves and debris in the gutters. When solid covers have been used, a space has been left between the cover and the gutter to permit water from the roof to flow into the gutter. The space must be sufficiently small to block the accumulation of ice, snow, leaves and debris. The use of perforated or solid coverings have been shown in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Name U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ J. L. Schaffert 274,393 J. Phelps 406,233 J. M. Van Horn 546,042 G. Cassen 836,012 J. O'Dowd 846,238 L. E. Sullivan et al 2,209,741 P. N. Layton 2,271,081 A. P. Couture 2,805,632 L. A. McLean 3,053,393 D. A. South 3,550,381 R. Zukauskas 3,950,951 ______________________________________
Still other attempts to solve these problems are shown in such U.S. patents as Noce U.S. Pat. No. 1,141,204, in which a gutter is swingably mounted on a building and has a counterbalance which normally holds it in the water receiving position. This gutter can be dumped to remove ice and snow which accumulates in it. Another attempt is shown in Teutsch U.S. Pat. No. 2,851,969 in which an imperforate cover is pivotably mounted over a gutter. The cover automatically tilts to an open position, allowing water to flow into the gutter, when a receptacle fills with water. For one reason or another, none of these various attempts to solve the problems of the accumulation of leaves, debris, ice and snow in the gutters has been entirely successful.